Kerala Plus One English Previous Year Question Paper 2018
Time Allowed: 2 1/2 hours
Cool off time: 15 Minutes
Maximum Marks: 80
General Instructions to Candidates
- There is a ‘Cool off time’ of 15 minutes in addition to the writing time.
- Use the ‘Cool off time’ to get familiar with questions and to plan your answers.
- Read the instructions carefully.
- Read the questions carefully before answering.
- Calculations, figures, and graphs should be shown in the answer sheet itself.
- Give equations wherever necessary.
- Electronic devices except nonprogrammable calculators are not allowed in the Examination Hall.
(Questions 1 – 6): All questions are compulsory. Each carries two scores.
Question 1.
In his essay, ‘Is Society Dead?’, Andrew Sullivan speaks about the many things that the ‘iPod generation’ misses. Ours is now a ‘smartphone generation’. What are the little pleasures of life missed by the new generation, when they are too involved with their smartphones? Write your responses in two sentences.
(Questions 2 & 3) : Read the lines from the poem, ‘The Wreck of the Titanic’ and answer the questions that follow.
And with these down the corridors of all time,
The Titanic’s story shall sound sublime,
For never was courage more noble and true,
Then was shown on that night, by the Titanic’s Crew.
Question 2.
Why is it said that the Titanic’s story shall-sound sublime?
Question 3.
Whose courage is mentioned here?
(Questions 4 – 6): Read the excerpt given below and answer the questions that follow.
Some people travel on business, some in search of health. But it is neither the sickly nor the men of affairs who fill the Grand hotels and the pockets of their proprietors. It is those who travel for pleasure as the phrase goes. Tourists are, in the main, a very gloomy-looking tribe. One wonders why they come abroad.
The fact is that very few travelers really like traveling. If they go to the trouble and expense of traveling, it is not so much from curiosity, for fun, or because they like to see things beautiful and strange, as out of a kind of snobbery. People travel for the same reason as they collect works of art: because the best people do it. To have been to certain spots on the earth’s surface is socially correct; and having been there, one is superior to those who have not. Moreover, traveling gives one something to talk about when one gets home, The subjects of conversation are not so numerous that one can neglect an opportunity of adding to one’s store.
Question 4.
Pick out the words that have the meaning ‘to neglect’ and ‘curiosity’ from the options given below.
to miss, to mix, inquisitiveness, uncertainty
Question 5.
Why, according to the author, do people travel?
Question 6.
The writer tells us that people who travel rarely find happiness. Do you agree with this statement? Give your comments.
(Questions 7 – 10): Answer any three questions. Each carries four scores.
Question 7.
Reread the excerpt given above (for Questions 4 – 6) and write a precis reducing the passage into 1/3rd of its length.
Question 8.
If the victim of abuse is a woman, she has to carry its stigma and shame all her life. So, women, victims do not even mention the atrocities they face. In the Sacred Turtles of Kadavu, we see that the two women from Namuana were changed into turtles to escape from the fishermen from Nabukalevu. If they had come back, how should the society have received them? Write an email to your friend on how society can help victims of abuse to succeed in life.
Question 9.
In the story, ‘His First Flight’, the writer tells us about the first victory in the life of the young seagull. The helping hand for the maiden flight was extended by his mother. Have you not received such support in your life too? Narrate your experience in a paragraph.
Question 10.
The passage given below is an extract from a motivational speech. Fill in the blanks using appropriate forms of the words given in the brackets. Everybody is unique. If you, (be) confident enough to break the shackles of uncertainty, you will be successful. Don’t brood over your past failures. I you (fail) in the past, you would learn lessons from it. If you (Pass) in all your attempts very easily, you would have been satisfied with those successes and (sit) simply with those.
(Questions 11 – 20): Answer any eight questions. Each carries five scores.
Question 11.
Read the statements given below about the narrator in the story, ‘The Serang of Ranagangi’.
- Young and inexperienced in my profession, I had not learned to control my feelings.
- Indeed, as I viewed my own outlook towards the future, my passionate desire for success and wealth, I was conscious of a secret shame.
- Silence a vision of the Serang’s nobility rising before me. Attempt a character sketch of the narrator in a paragraph on the basis of the statements given above and the impressions you have formed from reading the story.
Question 12.
The recent Ockhi disaster wreaked havoc in the lives of hundreds of people in coastal Kerala. The tragedy warns us that our weather forecasting technology needs to improve. Write a letter to the editor of a popular daily expressing your concern over the delay in the forecasts and the need for better technology and more proactive staff.
Question 13.
Read the lines from the poem, ‘Sunrise on the Hills’ given below.
If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep Go to the woods and hills! More than a nature poem, it sounds like a plea for an escape from daily worries and concerns. Do you agree? Write your comments in a paragraph of 75 words.
Question 14.
In the poem, To Sleep’, William Wordsworth speaks about his experience of staying sleepless at night. Give five suggestions for a sound sleep.
Question 15.
You are a travel guide and you are assigned the task of preparing a travel info by the tour and travel coordinator of the travel agency you work with. Prepare a travel info of a place of your choice focusing on the facilities of transportation, major attractions, food, etc.
Question 16.
Edit the following passage.
‘The Price of Flowers’ are a story wrote by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. It speaks about the selfless love of a fourteen-year girl towards her family. The title indicates that though she sacrifices only a shilling, it have a far greater worth. The price of flowers cannot be measure.
Question 17.
The story, ‘Gooseberries’ tells us how Nicholai Ivanich attains his goal and long cherished dream. If you were a reporter, how would you cover the success story of Nicholai? Write the newspaper report, giving it a suitable title.
Question 18.
After reading the story, ‘Conceptual Fruit1 your class conducts a group discussion on the topic, ‘Differently abled Children and Technology’. As the member who initiates the discussion, what would you say? Write your views on the topic in a paragraph.
Question 19.
Given below are the details in the life of Martin Luther King. Prepare his profile using the details.
Birth: 15th January 1929 in Atlanta, U.S.
Education: Morehouse College, University of Boston
Career: Activist
Spouse: Coretta Scott
Awards: Nobel Peace Prize (1964), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977, posthumous)
Known for: Civil Rights Movement, Peace Movement
Died: 5th April 1968 by gunshot wound to head
Question 20.
Study the poster given below. Now, write your reflections on the idea conveyed through this poster on the basis of your reading the essay, ‘Going Out For a Walk’.
(Questions 21 – 23): Answer any two questions. Each carries eight scores.
Question 21.
He (Gandhiji) sent us to the villages, and the countryside hummed with the activity of innumerable messengers of the new gospel of action”, says Jawaharlal Nehru. Write an essay on the topic, ‘India lives in its villages’.
(Hints: Self-sustenance in food – importance of agricultural prosperity – farming – development – boost to the economy).
Question 22.
The poem, ‘Death the Leveller’ undermines war heroism. Prepare the script of a speech on the topic, ‘War creates woes and not heroes’ to be delivered in the school assembly in connection with Hiroshima Day.
Question 23.
Read the poem given below and attempt an appreciation of the poem.
EQUIPMENT
Edgar Guest
Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You’ve all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment, they all began,
So start for the top and say “I can”.
Look them over, the wise and great,
They take their food from a common plate
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces, they tie their shoes,
The world considers them brave and smart.
But you’ve all they had when they made their start.
You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if only you will,
You’re well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen, great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.
Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win,
So figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment, they all began.
Get hold of yourself, and say: “I can”.
Answers
Answer 1.
The overuse of smartphone hinder Real Human interaction. Our younger generation is usually less capable of normal socializing. They have gotten so little practice that they are simply not comfortable with chatting with someone they meet in public. Since humans are social creatures by nature who need real life connections, this runs the risk of becoming a huge problem for society.
Answer 2.
The story of the Titanic sounded sublime be-cause never was courage more noble and true than that of the people of the ship
Answer 3.
Titanic’s Crew
Answer 4.
to neglect to miss curiosity – inquisitiveness
Answer 5.
Some people travel on business, some in search of health. But it is neither the sickly nor the men of affairs who fill the Grand hotels and the pockets of their proprietors.
Answer 6.
Yes, I agree with this statement. We all have stress and tension in our lives. Traveling forces us to temporarily disconnect from our normal routine and it helps us appreciate the things and people you have around.
Answer 7.
Some people travel on business while others in search of health. But those of who travel for pleasure fill the Grand hotels and the pockets of their proprietors. Only very few travelers like traveling. Moreover, traveling gives one something to talk about when one gots home. The subjects of conversation are little so one can neglect an opportunity of adding to one’s store.
Answer 8.
To:
CC
BCC
Subject:
Hi Veena,
Hope you are doing good. Nowadays women are feeing a lot of abuse today. But the sad fact is that no action is taken to prevent such abuses. One of the primary things a survivor of violence needs is for you to sit and listen sincerely. Just listen to what they have to say and allow them to be truly heard. If the survivor decide to move forward with seeking help and healing offer to drive them or accompany them to any of the agencies that will provide them with the help such as the hospital for a medical or a forensic exam. One of the ways you can support rape survivors and show your support is attend a community went that is bringing awareness to sexual assault and offering support. Only then we can bring a change in the problems women are facing today.
With Regards,
Akshay.M.
Answer 9.
The greatest support I got is from my friend Reena. I always dreamt of becoming a Bhara tanatyam dancer. But due to my poor finan¬cial background and stage fright I couldn’t achieve my dream. I was always frightened to face people. She was the person who gave me the confidence as well as financial support. At least I achieved my dream of becoming a dancer. I performed many stage shows and I got many good reviews. Thanks to Reena. If she wasn’t there with me I wouldn’t be able to achieve my dream.
Answer 10.
If you are confident enough to break the shackles of uncertainty, you will be successful. Don’t brood over your past failures. If you failed in the past, you would learn lessons from it. If you had passed in all your attempts very eas¬ily. You would have been satisfied with those successes and sit simply with those.
Answer 11.
The narrator was a traveler of the ship Rana- ganji which was traveling to Calcutta. The chief officers were Englishmen but the crew were Indians. The narrator was the physician of the ship. The narrator treats the patients affected with Small Pox. Though he was inexperienced in his profession he manages the situation of crisis bravely. He was very devoted to his profession. He knew to identify between good and bad. Hasan the serang of the ship helped the narrator to take care of the patients. The narrator had a special sympathy towards the serang. He assisted the narrator.
Answer 12.
From,
Anu.S,
Aniradha Manzil,
Kottayam.
To,
The Editor,
New Indian Express,
Kottayam.
Sub: To improve the weathering for casting technology
Dear Sir,
This letter is to inform you about the need for better technology in weather forecasting. The recent Ockhi cyclone took away the lives of many people and damaged the property of many others. This tragedy warns us that our weather forecasting technology needs to improve. Our system failed in accelerating mitigation and rescue operation. Natural disaster should be grouped and task forces set up without further delay. There are three basic failings in the government’s response; the cyclone warning was delayed, the warning when At came, was ineffective because it couldn’t be conveyed to thousands of fisherfolk who were already out at sea, and once the cyclone struck, there was no warlike mobilization and action, which are the hallmarks of a good disaster management. So it would be kind of you if you could highlight this issue through the columns of your esteemed daily.
Yours truly,
Sd/-
Name
Answer 13.
Sunrise on the hills is a descriptive and evocative lyric which praises the glories of sunrise amidst the hills. The poet watches and enjoys the sunrise from a hilltop. The first rays of the sun came in through the wide arch of heaven. The poem is full of sights, sounds and movements of nature. The poem reads like a song. A lot of poetic devices are used to create musical effects. Alternate lines of the poem rhyme and the entire poem reads like a series of couplets. The poem is built upon a military image. The sun in its glorious march is like a victorious army proudly making its parade. Everything else in the path of this glorious march fades away defeated. The poem consists of three stanzas. The first stanza describes the sights on the hills, the second stanza describes the sounds on the hills and the third stanza gives the message of the poem. The poet gives the message that nature prevents our heart from fainting and our soul from sleep. The poet gives the message that hills and valleys and their response to sunrise remove all sorrows from human heart. The poem is an invitation to flee into the lap of nature. The forest and hills teach us many things. They prevent our heart from fainting and our soul from sleep.
Answer 14.
- If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps especially in the afternoon.
- Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends.
- Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual
- Exercise daily
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.
Answer 15.
Travel info
Getting there
Nearest Railway Station. Pallikara or Kan hangad 13km. It is 65 km from nearest Mangalore international airport and 15 km from Kasargod town.
Don’t Miss art
Bekal Beach Vallyaparamba Backwaters
Cuisine
Dishes of all kinds are available in the near by hotels.
Answer 16.
‘The Price of Flowers’ is a story written by Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay. It speak about the selfless love of a fourteen year old girl towards her family. The title indicates that though she sacrifices only a shilling, it has a far greater worth. The price of flowers cannot be measured.
Answer 17.
Nicholai’s Tchimbarshov Corner Russia:
It was Nicholai’s dream to eat his own ship, with its savoury smell floating across the farmyard. He liked reading newspapers, but only the advertisements of land to be sold, so many acres of arable and greenland with a farm house, river, garden, mill and mill pond.
But his dream was a gooseberry bush. He worked hard to achieve his dream. He married an elderly widow with the idea of buying a farmhouse. After three years she passed away. Through an agent Nicholai raised a mortgage and bought three hundred acres with a from house a cottage and a park, but there was no orchard, no gooseberry bush, no duck pond. These was a river with coffee colored water. But Nicholai was not worried about that, he ordered twenty gooseberry, bushes and settled down to a country life. He was proud of his gooseberries Nicholai was happiest as his dearest dream had come true as he had attained his goal in life, who had got what he wanted and was pleased with his destiny and with himself.
Answer 18.
Differently abled Children and Technology:
Having come across some specially abled people in our day to day life make as thank God for our well being and force us to be considerate towards these people. Our motive or duty as a human being should always be not only to be sympathetic towards these people but should contribute towards their well being and growth in their life. Assistive technology in available to help individuals with many types of disabilities.
Assistive technology for kids with learning disabilities can increase a child’s self reliance and sense of independence. Kids who struggle in school are often overly dependent on parents, siblings, friends and teachers for help. But the rapid development and application of computer based technology however has created a sea change in available options for disabled students ending the isolation and limited opportunities disabled students have faced. Computer programs have been designed to make it easier for disabled students to access material, communicate their ideas and work and participate in educational experiences.
Answer 19.
Martin Luther King:
Martin Luther King the famous social activist was born on 15th January 1929 in Atlanta, US. He was married to Coretta Scott. He was awarded the Nobel peace Price in 1964, and the Presidential medal of Freedom in 1977 (Posthumous award). He was a famous activist in the Civil Rights movement and peace movement. On 5th April 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated by gunshot wound to head.
Answer 20.
Plenty of people are unaware of the many health benefits of walking nor that is one of the best daily exercises out there. Walking is one of the best ways to get into an exercise routine because it’s a simple way to work muscle groups and burn calories. Many studies have found that people who walk at least 30 minutes a day tend to be less likely to develop type 11 diabetes, asthma and some cancers. The essay entitled Going out for a Walk’ by Max Beerbohm rather contradicts the popular statement ‘a sound mind in a sound body’. The essay is written in a mock serious tone and the reader is impressed by the under stated accuracy of observations. Beer bohm presents himself as a die hard opponent of walking from childhood itself. Humorously he poses a question why we should go for walk. He is against the common idea of walking for walking’s sake. According to him, if one person walks with the intention of physical fifteen alone, his purpose will definitely fail him. This activity purely being mechanical, he could never enjoy the nature and such a man would never be creative.
Answer 21.
India lives in its villages:
We are inheritors of a rural civilization. The vastness of our country, vastness of popula¬tion, the situation and the climate have des¬tined it for a rural civilization, villages are the backbone of a nation. Villages are the mirror of one Nation’s virgin culture, social life and natural beauty. Development of a nation is a complete one only with development of villages. Development of a nation is a complete one only with development of villages. After inde¬pendence the Government gave much importance to the villages and the rural economy, agriculture. First five year plan was formulated entirely for Agriculture. The condition of the rural side slowly improved. Green Revolution and other programmes were introduced with targeting agriculture and development of the villages. According to Mahatma Gandhi, if a village perishes India will be no more India.
Her own mission in the world will get lost. The revival of the village is possible only when it is no more exploited. Industrialization on mass scale will necessarily lead to passive or achieve exploitation of the villagers as the problem of competition and marketing come in. Therefore we have to concentrate on the village being self, contained, manufacturing mainly for use. India is one of the world’s most diverse countries, not only socially, geographically and historically but also economically. India is an agriculture-based country and more than 50% population in our country still lies in the villages and earn their livelihood through agriculture.
Answer 22.
War is without argument the worst collective experience of humanity. It has created new nations on the rubbles of destroyed cities and human dead. It involves man-killing without human feelings even if short and swift. Wars, when prolonged like the world wars, result in human brutality, mass extermination of races and intolerable atrocities on innocent civilians. All rules are kept on the back burner and what matters is victory or defeat. The 21st century has seen the development of weapons, controlled by computerized systems with pinpoint accuracy and a million-fold increase in powers of destruction compared to our previous wars. Wars break out for various reasons. According to experts, the main reasons or factors that contribute to wars are human greed for wealth and intolerance. The effects of war are both physical and psychological.
Human society are deeply affected by wars are residential areas, public infrastructure, hospitals and the very basis of human existence is destroyed. Wars bring untold miseries as well as political and economical instability. Peoples lives and daily existence come under threat. Population is displaced and have to constantly move about for security reasons. Thousands of people die in the war zone leaving behind their families and many thousands of people live physically handicapped for the rest of their lives. Residential areas become hard to live in. The public infrastructure is destroyed and the hospitals becomes packed with patients.
Wars destroy mankind and natural resources also creating a lot of pollution. Trees are cut on an extensive scale to meet the war demands. Iron and steel are also used on a large scale Nuclear weapons like the ones that were used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki not only killing two hundred thousand people but also causing severe damage to the natural environment. Even today people suffer from diseases caused by radioactivity. Furthermore, the disease are inherited by their offsprings. Wars disturb common man’s life. Population gets displaced and have to constantly move about to security reasons and sometimes go into hiding security reasons and sometimes go into hiding creating uncomfortable conditions.
Children deprived of education for years together ruin their future. It would become difficult for common man to find a job and continue with their normal day to day life. On an overall look wars create a second hell on earth while we are shilling living. Thus humans must avoid wars at any cost. The only way we can protect our lives and ensure stability in our world is to practice tolerance and respect for each other. Or else we too become extinct like dinosaurs. Thus we can say that war creates woes and not heroes.
Answer 23.
The poem ‘Equipment’ written by the poet Ed-gar Guest is in the form of advice given by father to his son. The poet says that the secret of success is very simple Right attitude towards life and belief in ones abilities, the basic ingredients lead one to success. The poet says that all are equally created by God. All are blessed with same faculties at birth.
Great men don’t enjoy any special advantages or privileges from birth. Determination and courage are the secret of success. A wise man sets his goal and works hard to achieve them. He is not dejected or discouraged by obstacles. He has faith in his abilities and is confi¬dent that he will win the battle of life. The basic equipment in the same in everybody. We should not blame others for our lapses. In this poem the poet is conveying the idea that all people have the equipment to succeed. God has given them everything they need, now itis time to determine whether they are going to use the equipments wisely or badly.